


Light and Darkness

by LightDarkness



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28189815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightDarkness/pseuds/LightDarkness
Summary: She was the beginning, she possessed the power of creation, she was the herald of life and hope; she was the Light. He was the end, he possessed the power of destruction, he was the harbinger of death and fear; he was the Darkness. One would think they should've ended up opposing one another but alas that is not what came to pass.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/My Unit | Robin | Reflet
Comments: 9
Kudos: 20





	Light and Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Should I try turning this into a multiple chapters story?

Light…

That is the first word that always came to his mind whenever he dreamed this particular dream. He stood on a field that was surrounded by a yellowish-white light with another figure that stood in front of him not too far away. However, the surrounding brightness prevented him from getting a clear look at the figure. All he could make out from the silhouette was that they were definitely shorter than he was, and they also seemed to posses short mint green hair that looked similar to the color both Tiki and Naga sported.

Robin is no stranger when it comes to having weird dreams; in fact 80% of time, he either suffered from nightmares or a dream that assaulted his sense of logic, like that one dream about a rabbit and lizard that could talk. But it wouldn't be right to dismiss this dream as the run of the mill variety seeing as not only had he seen this same one several times, part of him also believed it might not be a dream at all but rather some sort of vision.

Though it was hard to say if his experience with his precognition was the reason for why he had a feeling that this dream was a vision considering all he ever saw was a figure standing in front of him that he couldn't even clearly see because of the bright light that was illuminating his surroundings. The dream always began and ended the same way; he would wake up in the field full of light and it would end with the figure being engulfed by the yellowish-white glow before the light swallowed him.

One could conclude that this dream was trying to indicate this was someone he needed to find but such a task was easier said than done with such little information to go on. Thankfully the hair color gave him at least one detail and it's rather unique color made him ponder the possibility of this mystery person being a member of the same race as his friend Tiki though even the odds of that were slim considered her race wasn't exactly an overly thriving one.

He couldn't help but consider if this dream was somehow tied to the remaining power of Grima that still lied within his soul and body despite the fact that Grima himself supposed to be dead.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Darkness…

That is the first word that always came to her mind whenever she had this dream. She stood on a field that was surrounded by purplish-black matter with another figure that was a short distance away from her. However, the darkness around made it impossible to get a good look at them. Though she could at least ascertain that the one she was looking at was likely male.

Byleth had been experiencing several peculiar dreams as of late; from witnessing a bloody war, especially the battle between a green haired woman and a white haired man, to talking to a preteen girl with long green hair…and now this. She wonders what this could all mean, why she was seeing one bizarre dream after another? And yet she couldn't shake the thought that this latest addition to her nocturnal mental fantasies held some greater meaning that she just couldn't grasp.

Despite feeling that way, Byleth understandably couldn't understand or rationalize the real meaning behind what she saw especially since all there was to see was just a lone figure standing in front of her that she couldn't even clearly see because of the darkness that was surrounding them. The dream always started and concluded in the same manner; she'd wake up in that shadowy field and it would end with the figure being immersed in the purplish-black substance that encompassed them before the darkness then swallowed her.

She still felt as though the dream was trying to tell her something but for the time being Byleth had no idea what that could possibly be.

She wondered if this peculiar dream had any sort of connection to the other strange ones that she's been having…she also questioned if she'd ever see the face of this elusive figure.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Are you truly sure about this?"

That was the seventh time Chrom had asked him that question, yes he kept count. Robin placed a note that had been given to him by Tharja and Henry into his traveling satchel before he finally turned around to address his best friend.

"Chrom, I'll be fine, trust me. It isn't like this is my first time travelling on my own." Robin tried to reassure his best friend, patting him on the shoulder to emphasize his point.

"I know but the last time you went on a journey it was still in Ylisse's territory at least. This time you're going to leave the continent entirely without any clear destination in mind." Chrom replied, his voice filled with worry.

Robin couldn't help but smile at the display of concern that his best friend showed, and it wasn't only Chrom. Everyone had displayed their worry over his decision in their own way, from Frederick to Miriel to even Henry.

One would think it strange to worry about him to such an extent, especially considering they were all well aware of how Robin was more than capable of taking care of himself, though Robin didn't take their fretting as a sign of lack of confidence in his self-sufficiency but simply as an indication of how much they cared about him which was much appreciated.

Not to mention considering what transpired at the end of the battle with Grima and his temporary disappearance he couldn't exactly blame them for being apprehensive about him travelling to a faraway place where they could not reach him or assist him if he was in danger.

But this was something that he felt he needed to do. The dream continued to plague him even after a year, and the feeling that he had to find the figure he kept seeing, which by that point he can confidently confirm was a woman, continued to get stronger every time it invaded his sleep. He had consulted Tiki over the matter and she agreed that Robin should try to at least try to gain a better understanding about this vision as well as this mystery woman.

Call it a vague understanding, a gut feeling he just had or maybe something more…but somehow he knew that the woman he sought was not in Ylisse.

"I'll know where I'm heading to…eventually. We have discussed this before Chrom, this dream of mine or should I say this vision of mine…perhaps wherever it leads me to, it might provide an answer as to why I still have the power of Grima within me. Why that power still exists despite the fact Grima has been dead for some time now. Perhaps it's even trying to tell that I'm still needed somewhere else."

"But why does it have to be you?"

"Because not only I'm a dashing and capable tactician, I also happened to be a good advisor and a talented combatant. You might even say…I am a man of many talents"

"Now you're just boasting." despite his words, Chrom couldn't prevent a smirk from growing on his lips. Letting out a sigh of resignation, the Exalt accepted that there was nothing he can say that will change his best friend's mind…which means there is only one thing left for him to do.

"Just promise me one thing…promise me that you'll return one day to Ylisse."

Chrom knew that it was somewhat irrational to think that Robin might not return but after losing him once already he couldn't help but yearn for just a bit of reassurance from the man to help put his mind at ease.

And Robin's smile at his king's request was bright enough to rival the sun itself.

"I promise Chrom…I will come back someday."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Focus on the bandits within the reach of your sword; I'll handle the ones outside your range."

In all honesty, Byleth didn't expect that a simple mission involving wiping out bandits could turn into an encounter such as like this. She and her students had successfully wiped out the bandits on Zanado, the Red Canyon, but she didn't expect that they would also be ambushed by a group of bandits on their way back to the Monastery. Byleth had been too distracted in fighting three bandits simultaneously so by the time Edelgard's warning reached her, she had no time to react to an arrow flying straight to her direction.

The only thing prevented the arrow from piercing her was the sudden appearance of a white-haired man who blocked the arrow by casting a barrier. Byleth half-listened to Sothis who scolded her for not paying enough attention to her surroundings and reminded her once again that it would take a few more hours before Divine Pulse was ready to be used again while focusing on the bandits around her, choosing for now to trust that the white-haired man won't suddenly turn around and stab her instead of supporting her like what he just said.

To her surprise, they ended up making a rather good team. Just as he had claimed, he helped her by handling the bandits that attacked her or her students from a distance. In return, she defended him from any bandits that attacked his blindside. In a matter of minutes, all the bandits had fallen and she had to admit that it might've take longer without the man's assistance.

After ensuring that all her students were fine, Byleth turned her attention to the stranger…only to blink when he made a hand gesture that caused a satchel to fly out from one of the trees around them and toward his hand.

"Are you alright?" the man asked, worry and concern filled his eyes as he glanced down at her. He was taller than her, she noticed, and wore a rather heavy looking coat.

"I'm fine, thank you for the help." Byleth strangely felt drawn to him, like there is something about him that piqued her curiosity. Perhaps it was his skill with magic? Perhaps it was his strange clothing (though she can't say she doesn't wear strange clothing either)? Or perhaps the simple fact that he had come to her and her students' aid?

"May I know your name?"

"It's Robin…Robin Daraen."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"You did it professor!" Robin declared proudly as the target dummy they have been using as a practice target for Byleth was completely destroyed.

It had been a few months since he arrived at Garreg Mach Monastery and began working in Anna's shop. The reason why he stayed in Fodlan instead of continuing his journey was the repetitive dreams of the figure in light had in-fact ceased when he arrived here, leading him to believe that he'd find what he has been looking for in this place, on this continent. So far, he had met three people on the Monastery with hair similar to Tiki which were Rhea, Seteth, and Flyan. He knew each of them weren't human but he chosen to keep silent about it. He has a feeling there was a reason about why those three hide their true identity and to be honest, Robin didn't want to get involved in any ancient conspiracies especially when he lacked the support of his fellow Sheperds.

But on the other hand, he did grow closer to Byleth and her students.

Robin looked at Byleth, noticing how the woman was staring at her hands as if she still tried to process that she finally had manage to cast Aura. She had admitted that her skill with magic was relatively poor and that not even pointers from Manuela and Hanneman, the other teaching staffs, could help her. Robin has taken the challenge and managed to successfully teach her magic.

From their training session, they discovered that Byleth has an easier time in using what people of Fodlan called as Faith Magic, the term used to refer all magic spells pertaining to healing magic and light magic, which is an opposite from him who is better in Reason Magic, the term that the people here used to refer to anima magic and dark magic.

"Thank you Robin." Byleth said after she clenched her fists before looking up at him with a soft expression. Robin simply gave her a nod, both glad that he could help her and that he could see the joy behind her eyes. He knew it when he saw it, slowly but surely Byleth had started to open up and there is a sense accomplishment in knowing he had been part of that.

There was something about this woman that drew him in a strange way. Maybe it was the gentle personality hidden behind her blank look, maybe it was her skill with weapons, or maybe it was because she was just plain beautiful. In any case, the more he spent time with her, the more he got the feeling that there is something more about Byleth Eisner.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

'Running away from your responsibility to find your man? How irresponsible of you'

Byleth decided to ignore Sothis's teasing as she walked away from where the ball was being held at the moment. Balls weren't something she had ever been excited about and even after dancing with many students, Byleth found that she was still unable to enjoy the ball like everyone else. She wasn't even supposed to dance in the first place but that certainly didn't stop Claude from dragging her to the dance floor.

Plus she hadn't seen Robin all day and while she doesn't properly understand it herself but somehow, being around him and simply spending time with him…it made her feel happy. But Sothis was wrong, Robin wasn't her man…he was a friend, a very good friend who has helped her a lot.

'I have been thinking. Do you think Robin might be connected to the dreams you used to have? About a man surrounded by darkness? Remember, the day he arrived on Fodlan was also the day when you last had that dream, right?'

Byleth completely stopped in her tracks as her eyes widened in realization. Robin had told her once before when he first arrived in Fodlan…and if her memories served her right then…that day was also the last time she had dreamed of that man. Is it all just a coincidence or maybe Sothis was right and Robin was connected to her dream…could it be that Robin was truly the man in her dream?

'Okay, assuming that Robin is somehow connected to that dream, what will you do?'

That's a good question actually. The obvious answer would be to tell him about it and find out whether there truly was a link to him or not, after all, even Byleth herself was sure that dream was trying to tell her something. But would telling Robin about it accomplish anything? What if she was wrong and Robin had no ties to this? Even if Robin turned out to be the man she kept seeing, did that even matter?

No, it didn't.

"It doesn't matter for now. Even if there's some relation between what I've been seeing and him, what good will it do to tell him?" Byleth said to Sothis verbally before she continues walking toward the market area.

'I guess that's true but do keep this in mind. Just like you, I felt that the dream had some sort of message and if Robin is really the man in your dream then you two might be connected in ways you're unaware of for now'

'I understand.'

With that in mind, Byleth allowed a small smile to form on her face when she saw Robin waved at her the moment he spotted her.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It had been quite some time since he'd had a dream like that. Not a nightmare, not any weird logic defying dream, not even the dream about the woman surrounded by light. A premonition dream, he got it today when he took a nap on one of the Monastery's many benches.

Many people called him a paranoid but frankly Robin is proud of his paranoia, it was a good trait for a tactician to have in his opinion. That was why he was flying (yes flying, not running) toward the chapel that Jeralt and Byleth, as well as her students, have been tasked to investigate. The premonition he got somehow involved those two…and it was something he wished was simply a nightmare instead of a premonition but Robin wouldn't be able to rest until he knew for sure that those two were fine.

But when he arrived at the chapel, fear started to grip his heart. The sight in front of him was almost similar to the sight that he'd seen from his vision, Jeralt on the ground, Byleth cradling him…the only assurance he had that he wasn't too late was the fact that Jeralt was still moving and the rain hadn't started to fall yet.

"What happened?!" Robin quickly asked as he knelt down next to them, trying to find out what was wrong with the Blade Breaker.

"Boy… please…protect her… my…" Robin ignored Jeralt for now and quickly pressed his fingers onto the older man's neck to check his pulse. He could feel it though it was getting weaker by seconds.

"Byleth, have you tried to heal him with your magic?" Robin asked, shaking her rather hard to get a response from the woman who still stared at the dying knight in her arms with tears in her eyes.

"I-I did…I even enhanced it with my crest…it did nothing." Byleth answered, her voice barely above whisper, as she shook her head sadly while tears already descended from her eyes.

Robin narrowed his eyes as he glanced back at Jeralt who was already unconscious. If healing magic wouldn't work on him then Robin has no idea what he should do as he isn't a medical expert. Was this it? Was there nothing he can do to save him? Would he be forced to once again watch another person he cared about die? Just like Emmeryn?

No, he did have a choice, he had a way to save Jeralt…but could he really go through with it?

Robin looked up at Byleth, noticing how the woman looked at her dying father with a devastated look, the same look that Chrom once wore on his face as they watched Emmeryn jumped to her death…

And Robin made his decision.

"Byleth puts him down, I'll try to heal him with my magic." despite saying that, Robin didn't actually wait for Byleth to put Jeralt down, fully aware that the woman was too shocked to understand him properly, as he simply took the dying man from her and laid him down on the ground gently before he placed a hand above Jeralt's body. After taking a deep breath, a purple magic circle immediately appeared beneath his palm.

Darkness was supposed to be a sign of fear, a mark of destruction and death…yet now; he'll use his darkness, the power of Grima within him, to save a life.

He was thankful that both Tharja and Henry had once taught him how to save a life with Plegian dark magic.

When Robin was done using dark magic infused by Grima's power on Jeralt's body… Jeralt opened his eyes…

And breathed.

He was alive.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Byleth let out a sigh as she reached the top of Goddess Tower. A lot has happened these past few months from Remire village to what just happened a few days ago. She admitted, she had been reckless in chasing off Kronya like that but considering what she did to her father…never once she felt so much anger ever since the Remire village incident.

It was only thanks to Sothis' intervention that she was still alive.

Byleth shook her head to bring herself back to the present time before she spots Robin, the one who asked her to come here once she was free, standing near the edge, gazing at the horizon. A soft smile appeared on Byleth's face as she approached the man, the man who against all odds managed to save her father. If he hadn't arrived when he did she's certain her father wouldn't have survived.

She knew that he was keeping a secret. Sothis told her that mere dark magic wouldn't be able to accomplish what Robin did. It was more than just saving her father's life. When even the Divine Pulse, the power to reverse time, failed to save Jeralt then his death was an act of fate…yet Robin managed to defy the will of fate itself.

"Hey." Robin greeted with a smile.

"Hey." Byleth greeted in return with a nod.

Byleth noticed that ever since she came back after her hair and eyes had changed color…Robin has sometimes stared at her like he was seeing a ghost a few times. She hasn't questioned it since it doesn't seem to have any notable effects on their relationship but perhaps she would find out the reason today.

"Do you know why I came to Fodlan Byleth?"

"You said because you wanted to see more of the world."

"That's only half of the reason, the other half is because I'm looking for someone."

Byleth raised her eyebrow as she waited for him to elaborate on what he meant.

"I once had a dream, about a woman surrounded by light, almost every single night. I didn't know what it meant but I knew it was trying to tell me something. When I first arrived here in Fodlan, I stopped having that dream which I took as a sign that the woman I had been searching for is here. At first, I didn't realize it due the difference in hair color…but the woman in my dream…she is you"

Byleth could feel her face warmed up slightly when Robin stared at her with those sharp eyes of his. But she looked away slightly when her mind comprehended what he just told her.

If that is the case then…

"Actually…I also once had the same dream constantly about a man shrouded in darkness. Coincidentally…the last time that dream came to me…was the day when you arrived in Fodlan." Byleth confessed before she looks up at him to find him staring at her with a pair of wide eyes.

"…And you think I-"

"The man in my dream…just like how you think I'm the woman in your dream."

"What does it mean?" Robin asked no one in particular as he placed his fist under his chin. The two of them received an almost similar dream that referred to each other. Robin got a dream about her, enveloped in light, while she got a dream about him, cloaked in darkness.

"Perhaps…it happened because…I was the vessel of the Goddess." Byleth said after a few seconds of consideration. She hasn't told everyone about this, not even her father, but if the dream she and Robin shared supposed to mean something then her connection to Sothis might have played a part in it. Robin was surprisingly calm when she explained her condition as best as she could from what she understood. He never once asked a question, only listening as she spoke.

"And Sothis…she ended up fusing with me to give me the power I needed to free myself from that place. I haven't been able to sense her presence or speak to her ever since." Byleth said as she looked down at her hands. Byleth looked up to Robin when she felt a hand on her shoulder that gave it a reassurance squeeze.

"I guess…we're more similar than I first thought." Robin smiled gently at her before he starts to tell his tale. Of how he participated in multiple wars with his friends and managed to stop them all, of how he discovered that he was the vessel of a diabolic dragon, of how he sacrificed his very being to kill Grima once and for all, and of how he returned to the living world thanks to the bonds that he shares with his friends.

"If our dreams were happened because we are, or well were in my case, the vessel of powerful being then the dreams might tell us to try to search each other. But the question is, for what? If experience has taught me anything, these dreams usually foretell something." Robin theorized as he kept his gaze over the horizon.

"I don't know…but I do know one thing." Byleth looked up to Robin again, this time with a soft smile on her face.

"I'm glad you're here Robin."

Robin smiled softly just as the sky turned into twilight.

"Me too."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Robin!"

Byleth quickly turned around when Dorothea shouted Robin's name only to see the man fell to his knees with a dagger on his back. She quickly scanned the surrounding, and when she found the one who had thrown the blade Byleth showed no hesitation in turning her sword into its whip mode and sliced the man in half.

However, the distraction was all Edelgard and Hubert needed to teleport away.

Byleth ignored that for now and immediately used the strongest healing spell she knew and enhanced it with her crest to heal Robin. To her horror, it didn't work…just like what happened with her father.

"Why didn't it work?" Jeralt questioned as he kneeled next to her.

"I'm afraid the wound is too severe to be healed by the spell." Rhea answered with a shake of her head.

Byleth closed her eyes and tried to will time to rewind itself…but when nothing happened, she knew Divine Pulse wouldn't be able to help her for a while.

"No." Byleth muttered while shaking her head. To her surprise, despite how much pain he must suffer now, Robin still found the strength to hold her hand and gave her a weak grin.

"Is there nothing we can do to help him?!" Byleth could hear Caspar shouted but at the moment, she was too distracted by Robin's attempt in reassuring her with his face to look up at her students.

"There…might be a way to save him"

Byleth immediately turned her attention to Rhea and pleaded.

"Please…if you knew how to save him, please tell me how."

Rhea looked a little hesitant but one glance at the dying man and Jeralt was enough to make the Archbishop let out a sigh.

"Your blood professor, the blood of the one blessed by the Goddess can be used to heal even a fatal wound. Saint Seiros once used her blood to heal her friend, the first Emperor of Adrestian, Wilhelm I. If you give him your blood, he'll be saved."

She could hear her students gasped, she could hear her father grunt, but Byleth doesn't need to think of anything to come to her decision.

"Very well."

Light was supposed to be sign of hope, mark of creation and life. She was unsure if she was capable of being a light on par with what Sothis had been for Fodlan but for now, there was something she wanted to be without fail...to be his light.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It all happened too fast, even for him. At first, he thought he was going to die then Byleth gave him her blood and saved his life…then he found out that he will live for possibly hundreds of years because of that. The revelation…it didn't sit right with him. However, Robin didn't have much time to think over it as the news of the Adrestian Empire's army that had been rapidly heading to the Monastery arrived.

He had been given an option to run away but he refused. He might not see the Monastery as home but it was a place of happy memories, and above all else, he'll never forgive himself if he fled while Byleth fought off the invasion. He had kept his military career a secret but now he believed that his expertise as tactician was needed more than ever.

Then the battle happened.

Thanks to his strategy, despite their lesser numbers, the Monastery's force could still match up against the Empire's force…until the reinforcements, in form of many soldiers and a group of Black Beasts, arrived. However, against all odds, Robin still managed to improvise his strategy, effectively creating an anti-beast tactic on the spot. Of course, Rhea turning into a dragon did give him time to come up with the strategy but he actually…might or might not…expect the Archbishop to turn into a dragon.

After all, Robin was well aware of her nature the first time they met considering it wasn't the first time he had encountered one of her kind.

What he didn't expect was for a pale man in black armor to show up and fired a sphere of destructive magic toward Byleth who was distracted from dealing with the Black Beasts to notice him. Robin had never flown as fast as he did in that moment in order to reach her. But despite his best effort, all he could manage when he finally reached Byleth was to wrap his arms around her and bring up a weak barrier in an attempt to shield her…before the sphere hit them.

It created a large explosion and knocked them off the cliff they were standing on. Byleth was already limp in his embrace and Robin could feel his own consciousness started to slip. But before he allowed himself to lose consciousness, Robin gathered everything he has to cast one last spell.

He didn't know where his warp spell will bring them as he can't focus his mind but it certainly better than crashing against whatever at the bottom of the ravine is.

Just before he finally blacked out, a violet light enveloped the two of them…

And teleported them away from the Monastery.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Byleth never expected that everything would escalate like this. When she woke up, with Robin's arms around her, she didn't remember why she and Robin ended up in a cave. It was only when he woke up that he told her what happened before she was knocked out.

However, when they returned to the Monastery, Byleth was hit by another shocking fact. Not only had five years passed since their fall but Fodlan was currently in the middle of an all-out war between the three factions.

Byleth did meet briefly with Edelgard when she and Robin split up to cover more ground around the Monastery in an attempt to find someone they knew. The Empress still asked her to return with her to the Empire and a swordfight between them ensued when she refused but Edelgard quickly retreated when Robin showed up at her side. Robin then brought her to the chapel where he encountered Seteth, Jeralt, and the remaining of the Church's forces before he went to find her.

Afterward, most of her days have always been filled with planning, fighting, or doing whatever she can for her force. They aimed to stop the Empire…and for that Byleth needed to steel herself to kill her former friend and student. She was thankful by the fact that her other students, with the exception of Hubert, hadn't followed Edelgard's ambition and instead put their faith in Byleth and faithfully awaited her return while doing their part to help fight against the Empire despite the fact that many of them had once called it home.

But everything had finally taken a toll on her.

Byleth let out a sigh as she rubbed her arms when the cold of the night finally affected her, now she regretted only bringing the Sword of Creator with her when she left her room. She'd awoken from another dream of her inevitable battle against Edelgard only this time, the dream turned into a nightmare.

Not only had Edelgard managed to defeat her and her forces, the Empress also forced her to watch as she executed each and every person she cared about. The nightmare was so vivid that Byleth woke up fully drenched in her own sweat. She decided that she needed to get some fresh air to help calm her mind.

Byleth was slightly surprised when a heavy coat suddenly wrapped around her shoulder.

"Robin?" Robin didn't reply her; instead he simply wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. Byleth could hear the sound of his heartbeat and as strange as it sounds, his heartbeat actually soothed her somewhat.

Perhaps it was because her own heart had never beat for as long as she could remember so hearing the sound of his felt oddly calming.

"You don't need to bear this all alone; we're here for you…" Robin stopped mid-sentence to stare directly at her. His eyes are sharper than they normally were.

"I am here for you…and we'll get through this, together."

It was just simple words, a simple sentence yet Byleth couldn't help but feel immensely comforted by it. Sometimes, she forgot that despite Robin's cheerful and silly demeanor, the man has been through more than one war, that the man has saved the world by sacrificing his very existence…that the man has beaten fate by returning to life.

Simply having him here at her side brought her so much comfort and reassurance that they can see this war through to its end.

"Robin…Thank you so much." Byleth smiled softly at him, her hand unconsciously reached for his for more comfort. She was a little surprised when his hand reached hers too, his fingers interlacing with hers.

"Anytime." Robin smiled back with a nod.

Byleth closed her eyes as she allowed herself to fully drop her guard and lean more into Robin. His soothing heartbeat filled her ears as Robin pulled her even closer to him.

For now, everything is alright…for now she can enjoy this… for now she was content with the knowledge that if she was ever in trouble, he'd be there for her.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Byleth turned around when Thales disappeared from her sight and she noticed a bit too late that the pale man has teleported behind her and fired a blast of dark magic straight at her. However, Robin refused to let the magic hit her as he teleported directly in front of her and stopped the attack with his own magic.

Robin glared at the pale man before he sent the magical blast back to its caster. Unfortunately, Thales still managed to teleport away before his own blast hit him. Byleth, however, has predicted where he would appear next and immediately turned her sword into its whip form and thrust it forward, the tip raced toward the surprised Thales.

Despite Thales's fast reflex that allowed him to cast a barrier, the Sword of Creator still managed to pierce through the barrier and inflicted a gash on the man's side. Before Thales even can recover from the wound that Byleth caused, Robin already teleported next to him and fired an Arc Thunder from his hand to the pale man.

Thales roared in pain as Robin teleported back to Byleth's side.

"Cursed Fell Star." Thales growled at them as he stood back to his feet. Robin simply called the floating Levin Sword back to his hand while Byleth gripped the hilt of Sword of Creator a little tighter.

"I'll spill every single drop of blood in your body to fulfill the long-standing goal of the Agarthans!" Thales shouted as he started to gather dark energy which caused the whole place to start shaking violently.

Despite what was happening, Robin remained calm as this was nothing new for him. The Fell Dragon shook the sky itself when he and his friends fought him.

"It's fine. We can overcome this" Robin said to Byleth, who was trying to calm herself at the display of power, to reassure and calm her. Byleth looked up at him, searching for something in his eyes, before she smiled and nodded at him.

"Let's end this!" Robin declared as he thrust his hand toward Thales with Byleth doing the same as him. Robin narrowed his eyes as purplish-black darkness surrounded his body while yellowish-white light surrounded Byleth's body. The two of them reached deep to call forth the power of Grima and Sothis respectively which caused a black magic circle and a white magic circle to appear in front of them respectively as the Brand of Defile and Crest of Flame manifested behind them.

"Quake ∑!" Thales casted before he fired tremendous dark energy stream toward them.

Robin and Byleth immediately responded in kind.

"Luminous Bless!"

"Tenebrous Curse!"

Byleth fired a stream of shining blast of light while Robin fired a stream of shadowy blast of darkness. The two streams then twist and merge into one single large blast of light and darkness. When the two streams met, the combination of Robin's dark spell and Byleth's light spell immediately overpowered Thales's dark spell and struck Thales himself before the man can do anything.

When the magic blast subsided, Robin and Byleth let out a sigh simultaneously…but the two of them immediately adopted their fighting stance when Thales struggled to his feet.

It seemed their battle wasn't over yet.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Byleth found him on top of Goddess's tower, watching the sunset with a serene look on his face. While it was true that they still have a lot of things to do but for now, they all could rest easy in knowing that…

The war is over.

"How is Rhea?" Robin asked once she stood next to him.

"Manuela and Flyan said she'd fine but it might take a while before she could fully recover."

Rhea has personally protected them when Thales sent some Javelins of Light toward them. After being hit by the combination of Robin's and Byleth's magic, Thales mustered his last strength to summon a barrage of Javelins of Light to their location. She knew that Robin was about to fly in an attempt to stop the Javelins but Rhea beat him to it.

"That's good to know." Robin smiled in relief.

"What'll you do now?" Byleth asked as she nervously looked up at him. Robin has no obligation to stay and help rebuilding Fodlan, as matter of fact he didn't even have to stay and fight alongside them yet he did and Byleth was immensely relieved and grateful for his decision.

"I'll return to Ylisse." Robin answered without taking his eyes off the sight in front of them while Byleth slowly looked down after hearing his answer.

She couldn't say she hadn't expected he would choose to return to his homeland after the war had ended but it still stung to hear all the same.

"And then return with supplies, resources, and manpower to help rebuild Fodlan." Robin finished before he looked at the surprised Byleth with a grin.

Byleth couldn't help but feel her chest suddenly feels much lighter at hearing that he wouldn't be leaving permanently.

"So…you will…"

"Yeah, I'll stay. But I need to return to Ylisse to let my friends know that I'm still alive, it has been 6 years after all. Also, just in case Chrom made a statue of me, I don't want the sculptor to botch my nose." Robin said with a nod.

"Are…are you sure about this?"

"I am. Besides, don't you think this will be a good chance to forge a connection between Fodlan and Ylisse? Since Fodlan is in the process of being rebuilt, I think it's a good chance to open up this continent and what better way to forge a new connection between the two continents other than helping the one in need? Though, I need to talk to Seteth about this first since I'm sure Chrom will agree with this arrangement." Robin elaborated as he shifted his attention back to the sunset.

A smile bloomed Byleth's face as she looked up at Robin with joy. However, before she can let her joy burst out of her body, Byleth needed to ask one more question.

"May…May I know why you decided to stay?"

Robin doesn't even hesitate for one second before answering with a single word…

"You."

Byleth can feel her face redden as Robin stepped forward to hold both her hands.

"I've always wondered why the power of Grima remained with me, why it didn't disappear after I killed him. I thought that I was cursed to bear this power until I die…but now I understand. This power is mine to wield with no further influence…I used this power to save your father, to save you, to save a lot of people. Since Grima was no more, this power will no longer corrupt me which means now, I'm free to define the darkness within me. And I decided…that I'll become the darkness that protects the light." the last part was directed at her and Robin said it while giving her a fond and loving smile.

Byleth immediately wrapped her arms around his neck to embrace him, to embrace the man that has done so much for her. Robin returned her embrace and held her tightly, and even though her heart was still and had no beat of its own the way Robin's heart beat gave her the illusion that their hearts were beating together in unison…

Or rather… that Robin's heart was beating for the two of them.

He has always been there for her. When she tried her best to be there for all of her students, to support and help them, it was Robin who was there to support her in turn, comforted her, saved her, and helped her whenever she needed it. Many people saw her as the light that gave hope and miracle, but she saw Robin as the strong pillar that always been there, ready to support them all.

The darkness that has watched over her and protected her…

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

She was the beginning, she possessed the power of creation, she was the herald of life and hope; she was the Light.

"I, Robin Daraen, take you, Byleth Eisner, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, I will love you and honor you all days of my life, until death do us part."

He was the end, he possessed the power of destruction, he was the harbinger of death and fear; he was the Darkness.

"I, Byleth Eisner, take you, Robin Daraen, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, I will love you and honor you all days of my life, until death do us part."

One would think they should've ended up opposing one another but alas that is not what came to pass.

As Libra gave them the blessing of Naga, Robin and Byleth stared at each other lovingly, admired each other, and through their eyes they made their vows to one another.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Robin lifted the thin veil that covered Byleth's face before he slowly leaned down. Byleth herself already closed her eyes and leaned up slightly as she waited for him.

The crowds erupted into cheers the moment their lips met in a soft yet passionate kiss.

Robin and Byleth turned to address their guests, to give them a grateful smile. Everyone was there, her father, her former students, his friends, and even some nation leaders that Robin had happened to befriend.

Byleth even noticed her father shed a tear as he watched her with a smile full of pride; the sight was enough to warm her heart further.

Robin and Chrom nodded to each other with a smile, the ceremony isn't over yet.

"Let's go dear." Robin said as he offered his hand.

"Lead on love." Byleth replied as she accepted his hand.

As Robin and Byleth walked down the aisle, the sky above them turned into twilight.

They didn't oppose each other because light and darkness were never meant to oppose each other like what many believed.

Because light and darkness were mean to complement each other, to balance each other, to be with each other.

Just like how the two of them were meant to come together to create a greater whole.


End file.
